The Chinese industrial engineering company Mesnac will invest US $20 million to build a factory in the state of Guanajuato as part of its strategy to consolidate its presence in North America.
Mesnac has one other facility in North America, an industrial engineering company in Akron, Ohio.
Though Mesnac, a world leader in the production of rubber processing machinery, did not yet reveal any additional details, Chinese financial news publication Yicai Global reported that the plant will be developed and operated by a subsidiary based in Hong Kong.
Industry news site Cluster Industrial speculated that Mesnac views Mexico — with its strategic nearshoring location and thriving automotive industry — as an ideal platform from which to establish a tire factory.
Mesnac has been deeply involved in the tire mold industry for many years and supplies global tire customers with tire mold products with reliable quality and excellent performance, according to Rubber World magazine. On its website, Mesnac claims it is among the top three companies in its field, thanks to advanced processing equipment and high-standard management systems.
The factory will be built in the city of León in the central state of Guanajuato, a premier automotive production location. Auto factories in Guanajuato boast an annual production in excess of 800,000 vehicles, according to online industry magazine Mexico Business News.
The company also has an affiliate, Sailun Tire Company, located in México state. In March, Sailun announced a joint US $427 million investment to build a factory in Irapuato, Guanajuato, according to Cluster Industrial. Tire Direct, a Mexican tire marketing company based in León, is putting up 49% of the investment.
The new tire company — to be called Aztema Rubber & Tire Manufacturing — is expected to be operational in March 2025.
With reports from Cluster Industrial, Tyre Trends, Forbes México and Rubber World
